Gas-making and carbonizing apparatus and process



1,598,217 W. W. ODELL GAS MAKING AND CARBONIZING APPARATUS AND PROCESS Filed Dec. 17, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 m N5 P Au'g. 31, 192e.

Aug. 31, 1926. 1,598,217 w. W. ODELL GAS MAKING AND CARBONIZING APPARATUS AND PROCESS Filed Deo. 17, 1925 3 sheets-sheet 2 o@ ,gq oo @o l.'

Aineges Y v n lnvehor. @175% -W W. W. ODELL GAS MAKING AND GARBONIZING APPARATUS AND PROCESS Aug. 31 1926.

Filed Dec. 17, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 y I r11/enfer' Witnesses Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

VUNITED STATES PATENT o FFlcE. 7

WILLIAM w, oDELL, or `MINNEAPOLIs, MINNPso'rA.

GAS-MAKING AND cARBoNIzrNG APPARATUS AND Paocnss.

Application led December 17, 11923. Serial No. 681,250.

This invention relates to ameans and process formexpelling moisture and volatile matterfrom carbonaceous materials, Such as coal, lignite, shale, peat, wood and'thelike,

utilizing partial combustion of the fuel as a source of heat, also for gasifying or partly gasifying said substances by the producer gas reactions.

The objects of this inventionl are: (1) To decrease the cost of a carbonlzmg unit per ton'day of material treated.' y (2) Increase the capacity of a definite vsize carbonizing unit. f (3) Simplify construction and operation 1"fofaunit (4) Eliminate clinker difficulties 1n the carbonizing and gas making process. (.5)HMake the hot zone (olinker zone) visible at all times. t (6) Eliminate `the troublesome blowholes common to producer gas processes.

(7) Provide a carbonizer' in which the stage and progress of carbonization is always visibl (8) Provide a simple means ously carbonizing materials.

(9) Provide a means for controlling the degree and rate ofcarbonization. n (10) Provide a means-for recovering byproducts with a minimum amount of crack- 1n t((11) Provide a convenient means for taking the gas ofi' at more than one level without its passing through a high-temperature fuel bed.

(12) Provide ,a means for causing a mixing of the fuel particles during their carbonization.

$13) Provide a simple means for cooling an discharging the carbonized material.

for continu- (14) Provide a means for separating the lean gas from that evolved during the latter stage of carbonization.

(15) Provide an apparatus which can be used as either a carbonizer or gas generator, the change from the one to the other -being substantially instantaneous.

(16) Provide a greater combustion zone area than is found in other producers withv 4 the carboniz'er-pro'ducer. Figure 2 is aufro'nt view of the carbonizer-producer partly in section and partly in elevation, and showing the gas oftakes, the fuel bed, the steam cool'- 60 ingarrangement and the discharge paddles. Figure 3' is anjend elevation of the same apparatus' showing a main fortaking the gas off under controlled suction conditions. Figure 4 is, in perspective, a hanger plate to `55 be hung over baffles under conditions stated. Figure 5 is an elevation of another carbonizer-producer apparatus involving the same2 principles, in which I successfully practice my process, `and shows baflles, gas oitakes 70 with control valves, discharge means, fuelhopper and a portion of the exposed fuel bed; Figure 6 is a vertical section of the same apparatus showing the internal baffles.

Similar letters refer to a similar parts throughout the several views. In Figures 5 and 6 numerals are used to designate parts not shown in the other views.

In the usual carbonizing apparatus in' use at fpresent, heat'is applied to the material in 8 0 process by transfer through walls of refractoryJ material, The rate of heat transfer` eration the fuel consumption is high; the

"price of' such apparatus is prohibitive of its 85 use in .carbonlzing low grade fuels which ,yield arelatively low percentage of char and gasof little commercial value. To .increase the rate of carbonization of such fuels air has been introduced into the fuel mass from within and the hot gases have been caused' to impart heat to said fuel. Although this increased the ca acity and decreased the oven cost per ton o fuel treated, difficulties arose from the formation of clinkers when certain fuels of low ash fusion 'point were carbonized. These difficulties are experienced also in producer gas generators. One of the chief aims in my process is to put the c'linker' 10o zone on the outslde andin full view at all times so that. clinkers Acan be removed as formed with the minimum effort 'this difficulty is further mitigated by increasing the hot surface (grate area) through which air is caused to pass, thus decreasing the rate of combustion at 'any particular point, and by keeping the particles of fuel in motion during processing.l j

.In lFigure 1 A is a fuel hopper filled with fuel B. C denotes the retainlng end walls, D is the curtain under which the fuel passes to the Erst baffle.. The ballies are shown at E. F is an angular, deflecting refractory, preferably metal, forming a space into which moisture or steam is injected through pipe G. The I beams shown at H support the discharge hopper I. Rotating discharge paddles are shown at J, supported on shafts N. O isa T-shaped plate forming a base plate and a guide to promote even discharge of the carbonized product. K, L, and M are gas offtake pipes cut away on the under side. P is a means for rotating the discharge piddle. T is a removable baiiie hangerate. p In Figure 3, R is a hydraulic main, S is ,an exhauster. V is a Valve in a steam supply line to constriction U in the pipe from K. Gas is ejected through this pipe.

In Figure 5, A. denotes a fuel magazine or hopper, C is the supportin the hopper and the outer ba es which latter are shown at E. G is the steam inlet pipe in jacket I. J is the discharge turntable and K and L are, respectively,the upper and' lower gas ofl'take pipes, K is connected with an exhauster `by means of pipe W, which latter hasa control valve ahead of the exhauster shown at 3. L is also connected with an exhauster by means of pipe X having a valve as shown at 4. A common exhauster may be -used when desired but it is not shown since it is not a partV of this -v invention. 'X and W are connected with pipe l which has a valve at 2. In Figure 6 the same letteringand numbering is used; the gas ofltake ports are shown at 5, the

j baffles within the fuel mass rare fshown at 6, and? is a removable seal separating the lean gas evolved in the upper "fuel bed from fles by applying liquid fuel tothe exposed fuel* 1n the up er part of the apparatus and igniting it. fter a few moments the discharge paddles'J are started in rotary motion by means of motor P ory other suitable source of power. The material (fuel) travyels from theupper hopper downward an .ignites just below the apron D and on the surface only. In passing on downwards the fuel particles mlx by reason of the tumbling action caused by the coacting exterior baiiles E and the interior baies which lati ter are also the gas oiftake pipes K, L and M. A glow is maintained over the exposedy surface of the fuel but the rate of discharge is maintained so high that the-.fuel con- 'M, the-thickness of the fuel bed and-size of members forl tain a state of ignition above the upper baf Means for exhaustion are shown in 'Fig-'- sumption is but a small part ofthe fuel carbonized. The degree of carbonization is controlled by the rate of discharge, the pressure maintained in the gas oiftakes K, L and fuel particles supplied to the fuel hopper A. As the pressure is decreased in the ofi"- takes the quantity -of air drawn into the fuel mass increases which in turn liberates more heat by reason of 7,the increasedorate of combustion. Increasing the vacuum in the gas offtakes therefore increases the degree `of carbonization, other factors remaining constant. Increasing the rate of dis? charge decreases the .degree of carbonization. Adjustment is maintained between these two conditions, vacuum and rate of discharge, in accordance with the capacity desired. Upon increasing the capacity or throughout a limit is reached only when the fuel passing below curtain D fails to ignite. This limit is` not the same for all fuels. With lignite containing 30 to 40 per cent of moisture I find it desirable to eX- tend curtain D lower than shown in Figure 1- for itis necessary in this instance to pass the combustion gas (the gas evolved in the ignition zone of the carbonizer) upward counter to the flow the fuel, in order to mainfies, at a high rateofcarbonization.

The gas-taken off through oil'take K is chiefly CO2 and N2 with small amounts of CO and' O2 and is usually not worth saving. The gas collected through L and M is a good grade of producer gas. The number of baffles and gas offtalres are not limited to the numbers shown in'the figures, but depend upon the nature of the fuel treated and upon the capacity and the degree of carbonization desired.

Moisture` is blown in, preferably as steam, through pipe G into the space below F -for the purpose of quenching and/cooling the -carbonized product (char) and for increasing the yield of ammonia. Some water gas lis made as a resultof'this injection of steam, the quantity depending upon the temperature of the char at this part of the fuel mass, and upon the distance between F and The apparatus shown in Figures 5 and '.6 is operated in^ the manner as [described excepting the method of removing the gas. ,Igjlw this instance the gas is removed by an 'upright pipe KL passing through the fuel 120 mass, withgas ports 5 and with interior baffles 6 which-have the twofold duty of aidingI the mixing of the fuel particles in their downward course, and of preventing said particles from entering the gas oftake l' through the' gas ports. Gas is drawn'oii` through K, W and L, Xl (Figure 5) by exhausters.` It is necessary td maintain a de" finite relative amount of vacuum in W and X in order to maintain the desired incan-'l descent glow over' the exposed surfaces of fuel between the exterior baflles, therefore Wand X areconnected with pipe l having a valve at 2 so` that when it is desirable to Y use one extlrauster only all of the gas can be drawn out through valve 4 by closing valve 3 and opening valve 2 sufficiently to give the give the desired vacuum. Valve 2 controls the relative quantity of gas drawn through l0 W and X when one exhauster only is used.

When two exhausters are used val. 2 functions in a similar manner but valves 3 and 4 are then both open.. :[117 place of discharge paddles a rotatingdisk is used, to expel the carbonized product, as shown at J.

In making producer 'i gas by the substantially complete gasification ofthe fuel it is only necessary to reduceV the rate of dis'- charge at the base thus` slowing the down- Ward vvelocity of thefuel to such an extent that it is substantially consumed within the apparatus, that is, before passing below the bottom exterior baille. When gasifying a strong-colzing. coal I sometimes find it desirable to'miX some non-coking fuelor ashes with the fuel used so as to eliminate the caking and'matting of the fuel which sometimes occurs because of the slowdownward knovcment of the fuel particles. The gas is withdrawn as made through the gas ofat different levels and through a gas coni duit wit-hinthe fuel mass at a relatively high ratte of speed, thus minimizing the chances for deposit of matter suspended in the gas v, and increasing the time of contact of the aii` and fuel in the hot zone. tion not fuel but also for causing a tumbling motion of the fuel particles and for maintaining a visible hot zone or clinker zone.. The inner and outer bales coact tumbling of the fuel particles and in deteri -miningthe thickness of the fuel bed.A ,The distance between the inner and outer baffles is referably less than two feet when fuel is belng carbonized only and small sizes of fuel only are used. Wheny fuel is used which will `pass through a screen of one inch mesh excellent results may be obtained with a fuel bed thickness of approximately one foot. f

The baffles are shown in the figures in vertical series but when fuels are used which The baiiles func-v only as a means of support` for the` in causing thel disintegrate upon being heated it may ,be

desirable to employ a somewhat thicker fuel bed at the top than-below, in this instance the baffles would not form absolutely vertical series. l,For this and other reasons the term substantially vertical is used in the claims in this application in reference to the baiiie series. I n making producer gas a slightly greater thickness of fuel bed is sometimes desirable `than two feet. When treating shale to recover oil a still thicker fuel bed may beused particularly in the lower part` of the carbonizer. A fuel bed one foot thick yields a good grade of producer gas when moderately line sizes of fuel are used.

The discharge in my process and with the described apparatus is substantially continu- .ous but need `not be absolutely continuous,

for similarresults are obtained with inter' mittent discharge when the interruption of dislcharge is frequent and for briefperiods on y. v v

The seal shown at 7 in Figure 6 is not necessary for the efficient operation lof my apparatus and is only used when it is desirable to separate the can gas evolved at the top .of the apparatus from the richer as of the, gases is particularly desirab e when treating oil shales and similarv materials which` liberate appreciable amounts of con. densable vapors in the lgwer and hotter part of the carbonizer.

l claim:

l. A process for carbonizing solid fuel and .evolved at the lower levels. This se arat1on I i no removing the gaseousproducts, consisting in passing said fuel substantially continuously in a downward direction` through a confined combustionzone, igniting the fuel in said combustion zone during its downward passage and'maintaiuing a state of ignition:

therein by drawing air from without into an outer substantially cylindrical surface of said -fuel at a plurality of levels, and removing the resulting gases ata plurality oflevcls by exhaustinglthrough gas offtakes located within said fueli 2. In a process of "carbonizing solid fuel as defined in claim l, the steps which consist inv passing the fuel pthrough the combustion zone in a relatively thin stream, an-lvcon-i.

tinuously agitating the fuel particles during their downward passage by Ya 'tumbling action, whereby heat equalization of the fuel massi'is e'ected.

3. A process passing suitably sized solid fuel downwardly froma suitable fuel hopper to a combustion zone, igniting the fuel thereat and lconducting it downwardly therein in horizontally thin layers with a substantially continuous tumbling motion of the fuel particles and at apredeterminel and controlled rate, exposing the ignited fuel in said combustion zone for carbonizing fuel and` removing the gaseous products consisting 1n to the atmosphere in a series of free outer surfaces at different levels, drawing air into said ignited fuel through said lfreesurfaces at a controlled rate and substantially across the path of travel of the fuel, causingv said air to react with said fuel and removing the resulting gas at different levels by exhaustion, from gas offtakes located within the fuel mass and withdrawing it therefrom substantially as described. 4. The improvement in the process of carboni'zing solid fuel and removing the gaseous products consisting in passing said fuel downwardly into a'hot zone, igniting it in said zone passing it in a horizontally thin mass downwardly substantially continuously witha tumbling and rolling motion of the fuel particles through said hot zone simultaneously admitting air to a relatively largeexposed-to-air outer surface of thefue "mass in the hot zone at a plurality of levels, and withdrawing the gas throughgas ottakes located within the fuel mass through arelatively small fuel surface at a pluralityof levels, as herein described.

I5. The improvement in the process of carbonizing solid fuel and removing the gaseous products consisting in passing said fuel downwardly linto an annular hot z one igniting it in said zone, passing it in a horizontally thin stream downwardly substantially continuously with a tumbling and rolling motion of the fuel particles through said hot zone, simultaneously admitting air to a relatively large exposed-to-air outer surface of the fuel mass in the hotv zone at a plurality of levels, and withdrawing the gas through suitable gas oiftakes located within the fuel mass through a relatively small fuel surface at a plurality of levels, recovering the lean'gas evolved in the upper part of the fuel mass separate from the richergas recovered vfrom the lower` and hotter part of the fuel'mass substantially as described.

6.- The improvement in the process of carbonizing solid fuel and removing the gaseous products consisting in passing ignited fuel downwardly through a combustion zone in a horizontally thin stream, exposing a visible and large percentage of the outer surface of said fuel to the atmosphere and the action of air at a .plurality.of levels, drawing air into said fuel through said exposed fuelsurface substantially across the downward'path of the fuel and withdrawing the'gasiat a plurality of levels through suitable gas offtakes located within the fuel mass.

7. A process of carbonizing and distillinng oil shales and the like consisting in passing said shale downwardly through a combustion zone, substantially continuously, with a tumbling'and rolling motion of the particles during their passage through said combus tion zone, simultaneously admitting air at aplurality of levels to a relatively large outer V'surface of the shale mass which vis exposed to the atmosphere, withdrawing the `resulting gases and distillatlo'n` products at a plurality of levels through suitablegas ofi'- takes located within the mass of shale recovering the lean gas evolved in the upper partl of the shale mass separately from the richer gas containing condensable vapors recovered from the lower and hotter parts of the shale.

8. In a process ofcarbonizing and distilling earbonaceous materials sch as solid fuel and oil shale, the step which consists in drawing air into a confined ignited mass of said material from without through a relatively large exposed outer-wall surface of said material, and withdrawing the gas formed through an oH-take locatedl within said mass of fuel. l 9. The process of carbonizing and distill'ing carbonaceous materials such as solid fuel or oil shale, consisting in passing the material downwardly with a tumbling motion from a retaining hopper into a hot zone, igniting said material in said hot zone, drawing air into said material in. said hot zone through a large, free tumbling outer-wall surface eX- posed to the atmosphere i and heating it thereby,. withdrawing the resulting gases from within the mass of material in process at different levels, the lean gas produced in the upper part of the hot zone being withdrawn separately from the richer gas evolved in the lower and hotter part of said hot zone, passing the heated material downwardly into and through a cooler, and dis- Vrcharging the cooled product below.

10. The process of carbonizing and distilling carbonace'ous materials such as solid fuel 'or oil shale, consisting in, passing the material downwardly, substantially continuously, with a tumbling motion from a retaining hopper into a hot zone, drawing air into said material in said hot zone through a large, Vfree-tumbling, outer-wall surface exposed to the atmosphere and heating it thereby, withdrawing the resulting gases from within the mass of material in process at different levels, the lean gas producedV in the upper region of the hot zone being withdrawn separately from the richer gas vevolved in the lower and hotter region,pass ing the heated material downwardly into a cooler and introducing steam into the mass of hot material therein, removing the resulting reaction products along with the excess steam, and passing the cooled materlal downwardly and out.

11."In an apparatus for carbonizing solid fuel by passingit substantially continuously .downwardl through a hot zone and utilizing interna combustion as a source of heat,

in combination, a means of codling and quenching the hot fuel consisting 1n a substantially cylindrical chamber into which said hot ifuel is conducted from above and from which the cooledfuel passesout below, said chamber being o pen at both topand bottom and having a baille on its wall sloping downwardly and inwardly into the fuel mass forming an annular space in the fuel mass, and having an inlet port into said annular space for a cooling Huid; and a means for removing the cooled fuel from said chamber, consisting in a rotating horizontal disk separate from and spaced below said cooling chamber.

l2. ln an apparatus for carbonizing solid' fuel by passing it substantially continuously downwardly through an exposed com bustion zone, an upright fuel container wherein the outer surface of the fuel is Visible and freely exposed to the atmosphere, the outer casing of said container comprising a vertical series of baflies, spaced apart a sufiicient distance to permit the fuel contained therein to be visible and exposed to the outer air, each baille sloping downwardly and inwardly from without, and means for removing combustible gas from Within the mass of fuel.

13. ln an apparatus for carbonizing solid fuel by passing it substantially continuously downwardly through an exposed combustion Zone, utilizing therein internal combustion as a source of heat, in combination, an upper charging hopper, a lower cooling hopper provided with a discharge mechanism, and an intermediate fuel container, wherein the outer surface of thefuel is visible and freely exposed to the atmosphere, the outer casing of said container comprising a vertical series of supported baffles, spaced apart a suiicient distance to` permit the fuel contained therein to be visible and exposed to the outer air, each baffle sloping downwardly and inwardly from without, and means for removing combustible gas from within the mass of fuel.

14. An apparatus for carbonizing solid fuel by passing it substantially continuously downwardly through an exposed combustion zone, and utilizing therein internal combustion as a source of heat, comprising, in combination, an upper charging hopper, a lower cooling hopper provided with a discharge mechanism, and an intermediate fuel coinbustion chamber, said combustionchamber comprising an open, upright, cylindrical fuel container, ythe outer wall of said container comprising a vertical series of supported baflies, spaced apart a sulicient distance to permit the fuel contained therein to be visible and exposed to the outer air, said baffles having a common vertical axis, each baiiie sloping downwardly and inwardly from without, means cooperating with the said outer baiiies to produce a thin fuel bed in said combustion chamber, said cooperating means consisting in a vertical series of spaced internal baffles, each sloping downwardly and outwardly from within, and means for removing gas from within the mass of fuel consisting in a substantially vertical central gas offtake conduit supporting the said inner series of bailies, said conduit having gas ports therein at different levels. p

In testimony whereof he alixes his signature.

WILLIAM W. ODELL. 

